Homemade Apple Pie with Oatmeal crumb topping

Homemade Apple Pie with Oatmeal crumb topping. Easier than a double crust pie, this homemade apple pie has a delightful oatmeal crumb topping. Still super delicious, especially served with a dollop of vanilla ice cream on top or on the side.

Song of the day: Missing Piece - Vance Joy

Homemade Apple Pie

Making a homemade pie crust is easier than you might think. Especially if you use a food processor. Even more, if you opt for a single crust and top your apple pie with a crumb topping.

The ingredients for the single pie crust are:

• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ teaspoon cornstarch
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 10 tablespoons (1 ¼ sticks) cold unsalted butter, cubed (for a more tender and flaky crust you could use 8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter + 2 tablespoons vegetable shortening or lard)
• 2 teaspoon white vinegar
• scant ⅓ cup cold water

1. In a large bowl, mix the flour, cornstarch, and salt. Cube the butter and place it in a small bowl. In a measuring cup, add the vinegar and top with water to reach ⅓ cup. Put everything in the fridge for about 10 minutes.
2. After that time, add the dry ingredients to the bowl of the food processor. Top with the cubed butter, then pulse six or seven times. The fat sould be the size of small peas.
3. Add slowly the vinegar/water mixture, while pulsing. Stop pulsing when the mixture is starting to form larger clumps.
4. Turn the dough onto a floured surface and pack it into a ball. Wrap it in plastic, then flatten it, and place in the fridge for at least 1 hour.

The apples

I find that a combination of tart and sweet apples work the best, however, you can opt for all Granny Smith if you like more tartness. We used organic Ambrosia apples.

An easy way is to use an apple slicer, then peel the wedge and cut it into two thin slices. Place in a bowl and drizzle lemon juice on top. In another bowl, mix sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, and salt. Dress the apples with the mixture.

The oatmeal crumb topping

• In a food processor, combine the oats, flour, sugar, salt, cinnamon. Pulse a few times just to mix. Add the cubed butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Do not over mix. You want to see some oat flakes.
• Empty the crumbs into a bowl and rub them gently to make it more buttery. Rrfrigerate until ready to use.

Assemble

Roll the dough - Place the dough on a lightly floured parchment paper and lightly dust the top with flour. Dust the rolling pin with flour, too. Flatten the dough a little, just to make it more workable. Then, begin rolling the dough from the center out, giving the dough a quarter turn every time. Repeat the rolling and dusting the top/rolling pin as needed, until you have an approximate 13-inch circle. Lastly, invert the parchment paper onto a 9-inch deep dish pie pan and peel the parchment off. Flute or crimp the edges, then refrigerate the shell until needed.

Preheat the oven - Adjust the racks in the oven, one in the lower position, and one in the middle. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).

Fill - Take the pie dish with the shell out of the fridge and fill it with the apple mixture. Then, cover with a generous amount of the crumb topping, pressing down gently on the apples.

Bake

• Place the pie dish onto a baking dish and position it on the lower rack. Bake for 30 minutes, then lower the temperature to 375°F (190°C) and move the baking dish to the middle rack, rotating it 180°. Bake for about 30 more minutes or longer, until you see the filling bubbling up on the edges and the top a nice golden brown. If the top seems to be getting too dark, cover it with foil.
• Transfer the pie to a rack and cool for 1 ½ to 2 hours before serving. Cover and refrigerate leftovers after 24 hours.

This pie is all about texture

I love the texture of this pie. The crumble is a lovely golden color and highlights the delicateness of the topping. That lovely pinched border is perfect to hold this Homemade Apple Pie with Oatmeal Crumble Topping. However the aroma of this pie is the clencher. Nothing like baked apples with all the spices and sugar and the smell of a buttery pie crust, so yummy!

Old fashioned flavors

This pie makes me feel like I was in one of those diners way back when. The crust flaky, buttery, and delicious. More so, the apples hold a nice bite and are not mushy by any means, with just enough sweetness to tantalize the taste buds. That topping is perfect. It has lovely caramelized notes and a texture that hold so much flavor from the oatmeal.

Homemade Apple Pie with Oatmeal Crumble Topping is the perfect end to any home cooked, comforting meal. More so, it can be the pièce de resistence of a holiday menu, being Thanksgiving or Christmas.

Enjoy!

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